Influence of Silver Nanoparticles on the Metabolites of Two Transgenic Soybean Varieties: An NMR-Based Metabolomics Approach

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of AgNPs and AgNO3, at concentrations equivalent, on the production of primary and secondary metabolites on transgenic soybean plants through an NMR-based metabolomics. The plants were cultivated in a germination chamber following three different treatments: T0 (addition of water), T1 (addition of AgNPs), and T2 (addition of AgNO3). Physiological characteristics, anatomical analyses through microscopic structures, and metabolic profile studies were carried out to establish the effect of abiotic stress on these parameters in soybean plants. Analysis of the 1H NMR spectra revealed the presence of amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and polyphenols. The metabolic profiles of plants with AgNP and AgNO3 were qualitatively similar to the metabolic profile of the control group, suggesting that the application of silver does not affect secondary metabolites. From the PCA, it was possible to differentiate the three treatments applied, mainly based on the content of fatty acids, pinitol, choline, and betaine.